Magnetically closable product accommodating package

ABSTRACT

A package for containing and dispensing contents includes a magnetic closure. The package defines a package interior for accommodating the contents. A pair of package portions defines an opening for accessing the package interior. The magnetic closure includes magnetic material which is placed on at least one of the packaging portions for permitting reopenable closure of the packaging portions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/407,385 filed on Oct. 27, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,091 filed on Oct. 29, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,112 filed on Oct. 29, 2010; and PCT International Application No. PCT/US2011/054119, filed Sep. 30, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a package for accommodating and dispensing product. More particularly, the present invention relates to a package closure using magnetic material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various packaging devices exist for accommodating and dispensing consumable products. Such packages may be designed to permit repeated opening and closing to access the product contained therein. One type of reopenable package includes a package having a product accommodating compartment and a foldable flap cover.

An example of one such package for accommodating and dispensing sticks or slabs of gum is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,717 where the package includes two compartments separated by a hinge where the two compartments may be foldably closed over one another to arrange the package between an open position permitting dispensing of the chewing gum slabs therefrom to a closed position.

In order to maintain the folded package in a closed position, the package shown in the '717 patent includes a foldable flap which is folded over the two compartments and tucked into a slot. To open the package, the flap must be removed from the slot and hingedly lifted to permit opening of the package compartments.

Another example of a package for gum sticks or slabs is shown in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,773. In this embodiment, a cover overlies a packet. The cover has an openable flap which also opens the packet. As with the embodiment of the '717 packet, the flap is closed by tucking the flap into a slot on the front wall of the cover.

Other examples of gum packages are known which use a foldable flap to cover a dispensing opening.

It is desirable to provide a package for accommodating and dispensing consumable products such as chewing gum which provides a further closure mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a package for containing and dispensing contents. The package includes a housing having package interior for accommodating the contents. A pair of package portions define an opening for accessing the package interior. A closure is formed of magnetic material. The magnetic material is placed on at least one of said package portions for permitting re-openable closure of the packaging portions. The magnetic closure has a magnetic field strength of about 50-400 gauss measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a package is provided for containing a plurality of products. The package includes a package housing having a first portion including a first product accommodating pocket having an open end for dispensing the product. A second portion is connected to the first portion by a hinge member. The first and second portions are mutually foldable at the hinge member to arrange the package housing between an open position providing access to the pocket and a closed position whereby the second portion overlies the first portion preventing access to the pocket. The first and second portions each include a mutually magnetically attractable material applied directly thereon and disposed in aligned facing relationship. The magnetic material provides for mutual magnetic engagement in the closed position to releasably maintain the package housing in the closed position.

Preferably, the second portion of the package housing also includes a second open ended product accommodating pocket.

The present invention further provides a package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products. The package assembly includes a package housing for supporting the products. The package housing includes a first product accommodating compartment and a second product accommodating compartment separated by a hinge. Each product accommodating compartment has an open face facing the hinge. The product accommodating compartments are foldable about the hinge in a book-like fashion. A flexible magnetic material is applied to each compartment and positioned to be in mutual magnetic engagement upon closably folding the compartments about the hinge.

The present invention additionally provides a package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products. The package assembly includes a first product accommodating compartment, a second product accommodating compartment and a hinge for connecting the product accommodating compartments. Each product accommodating compartment has an open end adjacent the hinge and is foldable about the hinge in a book-like fashion to an open and closed position. A generally elongate magnetic strip includes elongate magnetic particles aligned in a carrier. The particles are magnetizable to define positive and negative charges on opposite surfaces of the strip. The positive and negative charges are alternately arranged in spaced apart alternating columns along the opposite surfaces of the planar strip. One magnetic strip is applied to each compartment such that upon foldably closing the compartments a positively charged column of one surface of one magnetizable strip is placed in juxtaposition with a negatively charged column of the other surface of the other strip so that the strips become aligned under magnetic attraction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing of one embodiment of a package of the present invention, for accommodating gum slabs, shown in the opened condition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing of the package of FIG. 1 in the closed condition.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational showing of the package of FIG. 1 in the closed condition.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are opposite end views of the package of FIG. 1 shown in the closed condition.

FIG. 5A is an enlarged schematic representation of the magnetic engagement between magnetic closures of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5.

FIGS. 6-9 show further examples of other configurations and arrangements of the magnetic material on a package.

FIG. 10 shows further locations for applying magnetic material to a package.

FIGS. 11-18 show further embodiments of packages employing magnetic materials as a closure.

FIGS. 19-23 show flat paperboard blanks used to form packages of the present invention, depicting various techniques for depositing magnetic materials used as closures in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 24 shows a flat paperboard blank used to form the package of FIGS. 1-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention employs magnetic material as a closure for packaging. It is contemplated that the magnetic material may be applied and used to permit the reopenable closure of a package. In its broad aspect, the present invention employs magnetic material to hold two packaging components closed. When these packaging components are opened, they provide access to the contents of the package.

As used herein throughout, the term magnetic material may refer to any of a wide variety of magnetic and/or magnetizable materials. Such materials may include conventional magnets which may be magnetically attractive to certain non-magnetized metallic materials such as steel, metalized foils and the like.

In another preferred aspect, the magnetic materials may be materials which are magnetizable so as to be magnetically attracted to one another.

More specifically, in the present invention, the magnetic material may include any materials having magnetic and/or magnetizable properties, including but not limited to, ferromagnetic materials which may include magnetic or magnetizable elements such as ferrite members which are placed, incorporated, deposited, suspended, embedded or otherwise carried by a binding material or carrier. The carrier permits placement of the magnetic material on the package. The ferrite material may be arranged to have mobility within the carrier for magnetizable purposes.

The carrier material may include and/or have the characteristics of, for example, adhesive, laminates, paints, inks, other printing materials, hot melts and combinations thereof. The carrier permits the magnetic material to be deposited on the packaging substrate or into the packaging substrate in a manner which adheres the material to the substrate. Polymers and/or waxes are examples of materials that may be used as carrier materials and which also may function as an adhesive carrier. As used herein, the binder or carrier is referred to as an adhesive as it is applied so as to adhere to the substrate. For example, polyolefin and EVA may be used as an adhesive carrier.

Various methods of placing the magnetic material onto the substrate (which by way of examples as shown herein, include paperboard blanks for forming packages) are within the contemplation of the present invention. For example, such methods may include but not be limited to direct coating via ferrite polymer extrusion, calendaring, and/or magnetic strip lamination (FIG. 19); direct transfer using a coating composition in wet form (FIG. 20), pressure sensitive label application using commercial label equipment (FIG. 21); and hot melt deposition (FIG. 22) using, for example, a hot melt gun or other equipment. Such deposition or coating may be placed onto the substrate in single or multiple layers. Additionally, the magnetic material may be applied as an ink to the substrate. Various different shapes, locations, configurations and arrangements of the magnetic material 910, 920, 930, 940, 950 on the paperboard blanks 915, 925, 935, 945, 955, respectively are contemplated as shown in FIGS. 19-23 by way of example. Other arrangements and locations are within the contemplation of the present invention.

It is further contemplated that the magnetic material may be magnetized, either prior to placement or after placement on the packaging substrate.

It is further contemplated that the magnetic material, with or without a carrier, may be placed directly on the package substrate. In the alternative, the magnetic materials may be placed on a separate layer which is then placed on the packaging substrate. For example, a rigid magnetic disk could be formed by known forming techniques such as compaction molding, extrusion molding and injection molding (FIG. 23). The disks can be arranged in a feeding magazine. The disks can be coated with an adhesive and then placed on the packaging substrate using conventional equipment such as vibratory bowl feeders and/or a pick and place machines.

Non-limiting examples of materials which may be used and techniques for applying such materials are shown and described in the following U.S. patents, each of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,288, issued Jul. 29, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,481, issued Jan. 24, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,775, issued Sep. 15, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,624, issued May 30, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,263, issued Jun. 9, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,002, issued Oct. 3, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,171, issued Aug. 10, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,790,378, issued Sep. 14, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,798, issued Oct. 31, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,573, issued Mar. 4, 2008; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,921, issued Mar. 10, 2009.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, one embodiment employing concepts of the present invention includes a package for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of consumable products. In the present embodiment, the products may include gum slabs which optionally may include individual wrappers thereover. The package includes a pair of compartments arranged in a book-like configuration where the package may be opened and closed about either side of a hinge member. The package is releasably maintained in the closed position by use of a magnetic material applied to the compartments on both sides of the hinge member.

Package 10 may also be provided with an overwrap (not shown) to environmentally seal the contents of the package. If desired, the overwrap may employ a tamper evident strip.

Package 10, includes a package housing 11, and is generally formed of paperboard material folded from a flat flexible blank. While paperboard is the preferred material, other well known materials and combinations thereof may also be employed. Such materials may include paperboard, cardboard, laminates, foils, plastics and combinations thereof. The package 10 of the present invention may be formed from a single flat paperboard blank or a pair of paperboard blanks secured to one another.

The paperboard blank or blanks are arranged into the configuration shown in FIG. 1 to form a pair of compartments 12 and 14. Each of compartments 12 and 14 forms, respectively, product accommodating pockets 16 and 18. The pockets 16 and 18 support a plurality of gum slabs 20 in a side-by-side upright array. While such an arrangement of gum slabs is shown, other arrangements of the gum slabs in the pockets are contemplated. Each of pockets 16 and 18 is defined by respective back walls 22 and 24 and respective front walls 26 and 28. While the back walls extend fully upwards over the supported gum slabs, the front walls extend only partially upwards to provide an open end 30 and 32, respectively, for providing dispensing access to the gum slabs 20. The open ends 30 and 32 each provide an open top extent 30 a, 32 a and an open face 30 b, 32 b. The extent of the open area defined by the open ends is substantial to allow for easy removal of the slabs 20. While easy removal of the gum slabs 20 from the open pockets of 16 and 18 is contemplated, the slabs 20 may be optionally removably retained in the pocket by, for example, a releasable adhesive (not shown), such as a low temperature hot melt glue applied to a location inside pockets 16 and 18. End walls 32 and 34, as well respective side walls 36, 38 and 40, 42, bound the open ended pockets 16 and 18. Each of the back walls 22 and 24 of the compartments 12 and 14 has an upwardly extending edge 50 and 52. As particularly shown in FIGS. 1-3, the edges 50 and 52 may be overlapped and secured together in the situation where the compartments are formed by separate blanks to form the assembled package housing 11. As is shown in FIG. 1, in the open condition, the open ends 30 and 32 of packets 16 and 18 are preferably in facing relationship.

As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, the location where edges 50 and 52 overlap, forms a hinge member 55 for providing foldable closure of the package housing 11 in book-like fashion from an opened condition shown in FIG. 1 to a closed condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The hinge member 55 is defined by a hinge spine 56 and a pair of hinge joints 57 and 58 on either side thereof. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 1-3, the package housing 11 may be opened in book-like fashion about hinge member 55 to render accessible the gum slabs 20 and to dispense the gum slabs from the open pockets 16 and 18. The package housing 11 may be moved to a foldably closed position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to prevent access to the open pockets 16 and 18 and prevent removal of the gum slabs 20 therefrom. Thus, in typical use, the consumer will maintain the package housing 11 in a closed condition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 until such time as it is desired to remove one or more gum slabs therefrom. At that time, the consumer would open the package housing 11 about hinge member 55 to the opened condition shown in FIG. 1. The desired number of gum slabs 20 can be removed from pockets 16 and 18 and then the consumer can reclose the package housing 11 to a condition shown in FIG. 3. The package is designed to be repeatedly opened and closed as required by the needs of the consumer.

While the package of the present invention is opened about a hinge, other types of openable movement between these compartments are contemplated. Such other types of structure may include, for example, a slide cover.

In order to maintain the package housing 11 in a closed condition, the present invention employs magnetic material applied to the compartments 12 and 14. Preferably, in the present embodiment, the magnetic material is a flexible magnetic material having ferrite material in an adhesive carrier which is more fully shown and described in the above incorporated U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,128,798 and 7,338,573. The magnetic material used is a magnetizable material which is subsequently magnetized to be mutually magnetically attractive. As particularly shown in FIG. 1, the front walls 26 and 28 of compartments 12 and 14, respectively, include the magnetic adhesive preferably disposed completely thereover. The magnetic material is preferably directly applied as strips 60 and 62 which adhere on the entire outer surface of front walls 26 and 28. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, in the closed condition, the strips 60 and 62 of magnetic adhesive are positioned in aligned facing relationship.

As noted above, in one preferred embodiment, the magnetic material may include ferrite material arranged in a binder or carrier for mobility within the carrier for magnetizable purposes. Also, it is contemplated that the magnetic material may be placed on the package substrate such that the ferrites are aligned in the carrier and which is subsequently more fully magnetized on the substrate.

FIG. 24 shows a flat paperboard blank used to form the package 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5. While a single blank is shown, it may be appreciated that in one embodiment two identical blanks are used to form package 10.

The blank 80 is used to form one of the components 12, 14 shown in FIG. 1. The blank 80 includes a foldable front wall 86 and foldable side walls 87 and 89. The blank 10′ includes edge 50′ which forms a hinge with the mating blank. The side walls and front wall are folded to form one of the pockets 16, 18.

The magnetic material forming, for example, strips 60, 62 is placed on the foldable front wall 86. Upon placement of the magnetic material on the substrate, the ferrites in the binder become aligned providing a weak magnetic field. The magnetic material in this condition is subject to subsequent magnetization so that the magnetic material becomes more fully magnetized having a magnetic field strength as discussed hereinbelow. It is contemplated that the weak magnetic field prior to full magnetization would have a maximum field strength of less than 50 gauss. This weak magnetic field strength allows ease of handling of the substrate during processing.

An example of a technique used to apply a magnetic adhesive to a package and a method of magnetizing the material is generally described in above incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 7,501,921.

Referring again to the package 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5, in the final fully magnetized condition, the strips 60 and 62 formed from the magnetic material are magnetically attractable to each other such that when the package housing 11 is placed in a closed condition, the package housing will be releasably retained in that condition by the magnetic attraction of the strips. However, this magnetic attraction is such that, while maintaining the package housing 11 in a closed condition, it can be easily released by the consumer and the package housing can be articulated from the closed condition to the open condition.

It is contemplated that the closure of the present invention provides a package more easily opened and closed by the consumer and presents one or more of a tactile, visual and audible (“click”) indication of closure.

The holding characteristic of the magnetic material may depend, for example, on the strength of the magnetizing field for the strips 60, 62, (field strength), the magnetic properties of the ferrite material, the mobility of the ferrite materials within the carrier material, the magnetizability of the domains within the ferrite materials, the arrangement of the magnetic field in poles per linear inch, the amount of the magnetic material in the carrier, the thickness of the strips, the amount of magnetic material on opposing closure surfaces, the overlap and alignment of the magnetic material on opposing surfaces when the package is closed. Such arrangements can determine the desired holding strength when the package is closed, i.e., the minimum or maximum force desired to open the package.

The magnetic field strength of the fully magnetized magnetic material is influenced by the mass, shape, location, magnetizing pole arrangement, which in the present invention is 22 alternating poles per linear inch, magnetic saturation efficiency, magnetic alignment efficiency, size and type of magnetic material employed. In the present embodiment, a magnetic field strength of no less than about 50 gauss is provided. The magnetic field strength is measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm from the surface of the magnetic material. A standard gauss meter, known in the art, is used to effect such measurements. While a magnetic field strength of about 50 gauss or greater is contemplated, a more preferable range is between 50-400 gauss, with a most preferable range of 100-200 gauss being contemplated. This magnetic field strength is generated by strips 60 and 62 being, for example, 8 mils thick, 21.5 mm wide and 85 mm long. The magnetic field strength is desirably sufficient to maintain the package in closed condition during handling. For example, the magnetic field strength should be sufficient so that if the package is grabbed by one of the compartments 12 or 14 and the other compartment is placed in a downward direction, the compartments will not open under gravitational forces.

The magnetic field strength employed, however, must be such that the package may be easily opened by the consumer by manual manipulation of the compartments 12 and 14 about the hinge member 55. The structure, arrangement and magnetic field strength of the strips 60 and 62 is such that it is contemplated that the compartments 12 and 14 may be opened by convenient one-hand operation. The compartments 12 and 14 may be, for example, opened by the consumer by using a thumb in sliding fashion or fingernail between the closed compartments to effect opening thereof about hinge member 55.

In the presently preferred embodiment, the holding force between the two strips 60 and 62, which can also be expressed as the force required to separate the magnetic strips 60 and 62, is selected to be no less than 10 mg/mm². Such a holding force maintains the package in closed condition under gravitational forces and during normal handling yet still may be opened conveniently by the consumer. In calculating such required holding forces, certain factors are considered. These factors include the distance of the magnetic strips from the hinge, the distance of the products contained in the package from the hinge, the weight of the filled package, and the surface area of the magnetic strips.

In addition, while the magnetic field strength of the magnetic strips 60 and 62 in the closed condition should be sufficient to maintain adequate closure, the magnetic field strength at a distance therefrom should rapidly dissipate. The present invention selects the magnetic field strength for the magnetic strips 60 and 62 to be such that when measured at a distance of about 5 mm from the surface of the magnetic material, the magnetic field strength is no greater than 10 gauss.

A preferred upper limit of the magnetic field strength is selected so that it does not exceed 400 gauss. By providing a magnetic field strength at an upper limit of 400 gauss and more preferably an upper limit of 300 gauss, it assures that at short distance away from the strips the field strength rapidly dissipates. For instance, the package will not attract unwanted magnetically attractable materials thereto. In addition, the magnetic material will not adversely impact items that may come in direct (or nearly direct) contact with the magnetic material. Such items include, but are not limited to, credit cards, subway cards, hotel cards, and other items having magnetic strips. Also, as the field strength dissipates to no greater than about 10 gauss at 5 mm, it will also not adversely impact certain devices which are susceptible to magnetic interference at close proximity.

As noted above, the package of the present invention is preferably used with gum slabs having paper wrappers thereover. Non-magnetically attractive wrappers are preferred as there is no magnetic interference between the wrappers and the magnetic adhesive used as the closure. However, it is contemplated that a magnetically attractive wrapper may be employed. The magnetic attraction between the wrappers can be selected such that a slight holding force is provided so as to releasably retain the wrapped slabs in the pockets under light magnetic attraction.

While strips 60 and 62 of the magnetic adhesive material are shown preferably covering the entire front walls 26 and 28 of compartments 12 and 14, other arrangements of the magnetic adhesive material are within the contemplation of the present invention, examples of which are described below.

As above described, the magnetic strips 60 and 62 are generally elongate planar members which include elongate magnetizable particles in the form of ferrites 63 which are arranged in a carrier 65. Upon magnetization of the strips, the strips will exhibit a magnetic charge as schematically depicted in FIG. 5A. Each strip includes an upper surface 67 and an opposed lower surface 69. Upon magnetization of the strips, the strips will exhibit alternating positive and negative charges on the opposite surfaces in alternating columns along the length L thereof.

As shown in FIG. 5A, magnetic strip 60 includes a first charged column 60 a where the charge on the upper surface 67 is positive along the column while the charge on the opposite lower surface is negative along the column. The next column 60 b which is spaced from column 60 a, is arranged so that the charge is opposite that of 60 a, i.e., negative on upper surface 67 and positive on lower surface 69. Such spaced apart alternating columns continue such that in the preferred embodiment there are 22 poles or columns per liner inch across the width of the strips. Thus, positive and negative poles are presented in alternating spaced apart columns on the opposite surfaces of the magnetic strip 60. Magnetic strip 62 is formed to be identical to strip 60.

With additional reference to FIGS. 1-5, the strips 60 and 62 are positioned on the front walls 26 and 28 of package housing 11. One charged column is positioned along a longitudinal edge 60 c of strip 60 as shown in FIG. 5A. When the package is folded to a closed condition, the magnetized strips magnetically adhere to one another in that the positively charged columns on one surface 67, 69 of one magnetic strip will align with the negatively charged columns on the other surface 67, 69 of the other magnetic strip. Since the two magnetic strips are identically formed, column 60 a along edge 60 c of strips 60 and 62 align. This assures that the edges of the magnetic strips are aligned when in the closed position.

It is further contemplated that the magnetic strips 60 and 62 are placed on the front walls 26 and 28 of the package housing 11 in such a manner that when the package is closed and the magnetic strips become magnetically aligned, the edges of the closed package are also aligned. Thus, upon closure, there is no offsetting overlap between the closed compartments 12 and 14. The edge alignment of the closed package housing achieved by the arrangement of the magnetic strips of the present invention is particularly shown in FIGS. 2-5.

In addition, the arrangement of the magnetically charged strips where negatively charged columns are placed in juxtaposition with the positively charged columns serves to maximize the magnetic attraction between the two magnetic strips.

It is additionally contemplated that the magnetic closure of the present invention may be used in combination with a resealable adhesive which is applied to the package. For example, with respect to the packages shown in the figures herein, the locations for the magnetic material may include discrete locations. Such locations may include magnetic materials and separate locations which include resealable adhesives. These resealable adhesives are of the type which are well known in the packaging art and which may include low tack adhesive which includes cohesive properties. The resealable adhesives may provide a relatively weak re-openable adhesive engagement between the package portions. This engagement can be assisted by the use of the magnetic material described herein, such as magnetic materials having a lower magnetic field strength. The tack of the adhesive employed may be one of several variables that may be used to obtain the desired holding capability for the package.

Moreover, it is contemplated that the magnetic material described above, in addition to adhering to the substrate, may itself also provide resealable adhesive properties so that to the applied magnetic material serves both as a weak adhesive closure and a magnetic closure. It is contemplated that in either situation the combination of the adhesive closure and the magnetic closure provides the desirable re-openable closability of the package of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6-9, various non-limiting examples of other arrangements of the magnetic material are shown applied to front walls 26 and 28 of compartments 12 and 14 of package 10. With respect to the packages shown therein, the location and arrangement of the magnetic material can be identical with respect to the front walls 26 and 28 such as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 or can be different as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the present examples, the arrangement of the magnetic material need only be located so as to be mutually engageable as the front walls 26 and 28 close. In that regard, the arrangements of the magnetic material on the front walls 26 and 28 of compartments 12 and 14 in FIGS. 6-9 is shown only by way of example. Other configurations and arrangements are also contemplated.

As shown in FIG. 6, various line patterns 15 in any arrangement may be used. In FIG. 9, dots 19 or the like are employed. Also, in FIGS. 7 and 8, the use of a strip 62 a, which does not fully encompass front wall 26 is shown. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pattern and arrangement of the magnetic material need not match as between front wall 26 and front wall 28.

A further example of arrangement of the magnetic materials on the packaging housing is shown in FIG. 10. Package 10′ includes a packaging housing 11′ which is substantially similar to the packaging housing described above. The packaging housing 11′ is folded from one or more flat blanks into a configuration forming compartments 12′ and 14′. The blank(s) from which the packaging housing 11 is formed includes foldable side flaps 21′, 23′ and 25′, 27′. These flaps are folded inwardly and the front walls 26′ and 28′ are folded thereover. As is known in conventional package forming, a conventional adhesive is used to secure the inside of the front walls 26′ and 28′ to the respective flaps of the compartments.

The present invention contemplates use of magnetic adhesive applied to the side flaps to both serve as the adhesive binding the front walls to the flaps as well as providing the magnetic attraction necessary to provide for magnetic closure of the package housing 11′. Magnetic adhesive areas 29′ may be applied to the faces of the side flaps in such a manner and location that when folded thereover, front walls 26′ and 28′ are adhered thereto and thus form compartments 12′ and 14′. It is contemplated that the magnetic adhesive is selected to have sufficient magnetic characteristics and/or thickness so that even when it is covered by the front walls 26′ and 28′, the magnetic field strength will be such that sufficient magnetic attraction will be provided between the compartments 12′ and 14′ to maintain the package housing 11′ in closed condition.

It is further contemplated that the magnetic material may be applied to the inside of front walls 26′ and 28′. The magnetic material in this instance would be sufficient to hold the package closed even with two layers of paperboard therebetween.

Other placements and locations of the magnetic materials and/or magnetic adhesives are contemplated by the present invention such that the adhesives used to form the package housing can also be used to provide the magnetic closure.

While the embodiments described above depict one example of a package employing magnetic material as a closure, the present invention is not limited thereto. With reference to FIGS. 11-13, other embodiments of packages may employ magnetic closures of the type described herein to close a foldable flap over a dispensing opening.

With reference to FIG. 11, a package 110 includes a package housing 111 for accommodating a plurality of gum slabs 113 which are arranged in face-to-face fashion. The package 110 includes a packet 114 which supports the gum slabs and which may be formed of metalized foil, paper or the like. The packet is enclosed by a cover 116 which wraps around the packet 114. The cover which is formed of paperboard defines a front wall 118 and an openable flap 120. As is shown and described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,773, the flap 120 is used to open the packet 114 upon lifting of the flap. In order to reclose the cover shown herein, magnetic materials may be employed. In one example, the cover 112 may include, on the inside surface thereof, a disk or dot 130 (or a plurality of dots), of magnetic material. The magnetic material, however, may be included in any configuration and arrangement as above described. The dot 130 is engageable with a similar dot 132 to permit magnetic closure of the flap 120 over the front wall 118 of cover 116.

A further packaging embodiment is shown with respect to FIG. 12. In this embodiment, a package 210 supports a plurality of gum slabs 213 in side-by-side fashion. A flat blank is formed into a package housing 211 defining a lower compartment 214 and an upwardly extending foldable flap 216. The flap may be folded over the open end of the compartment to enclose the gum slabs therein. A package housing of this configuration is shown and described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,325,686 and 7,811,614. In order to maintain flap 216 in a closed condition over lower compartment 214, magnetic materials as above described are employed. The magnetic materials may be applied and arranged in any configuration described above. By way of example, the magnetic material may include a strip 230 of magnetic material on the inside wall of flap 216 and a corresponding strip 232 of magnetic material on the front wall 226 of lower compartment 214. The strip 230 of flap 216 is engageable with strip 232 of front wall 226 to permit magnetic closure of the flap.

In FIG. 13, a packaging embodiment such as that shown and described in the above referenced '717 patent is shown. The package 310 of this embodiment includes a package housing 311 having a pair of compartments 312 and 314 which are mutually foldable (arrow A). As described in the '717 patent, the compartments 312 and 314 are also separable from one another. Each compartment supports a plurality of gum slabs 315 in side-by-side fashion. Magnetic material may be used to form a closure which allows for closing of foldable flap 316 with respect to folded compartments 312 and 314 and for closing of compartment 312 when compartment 314 is removed therefrom.

Again, any configuration and arrangement of magnetic material as described above may be employed. As an example, the inside wall of flap 316 may include a magnetic adhesive dot 330. The dot 330 would be engageable with a similar dot 332 on the front wall 336 of upper compartment 312 to close the flap over upper compartment 336 with compartment 314 removed. With compartments 312 and 314 attached and in a folded condition, the back surface of compartment 314 (not shown) may also include an aligned adhesive dot (not shown) for engagement with adhesive dot 330 of flap 316 to close the flap over the folded compartments. Other arrangements of the locations of the magnetic material may be provided so as to permit various arrangements of closing the compartments singly or together.

Referring to now to FIG. 14, a package 410, which is substantially similar to package 210 described with respect to FIG. 12, is shown. In the present embodiment, package 410 supports a plurality of gum slabs 413 in side-by-side fashion. A flat blank is formed into a packaging housing 411 defining a lower compartment 414 in an upwardly extending foldable flap 416. The flap may be folded over the open end of the compartment to enclose the gum slabs therein. In order to maintain the flap 416 in closed condition over the lower compartment 414, magnetic materials are employed.

In the present illustrative embodiment, a strip 430 of magnetic material may be placed on the outside of wall flap 416 to engage a corresponding strip 432 of magnetic material on the front wall 426 of lower compartment 414. The strips are formed of magnetic material as above described. In order to provide such engagement, the distal edge 416 a of flap 416 is folded inwardly prior to folding the flap 416 over the lower compartment. This places the strip 430 in engagement with the strip 432. This provides re-openable closure in a manner described above. The embodiment described with respect to FIG. 14 allows placement of the strips 430 and 432 on the same surface of the flat paperboard blank which forms packaging housing 411.

Referring now to FIG. 15, a flip-type package carton is shown. The carton 510 includes a lower box like container 514 and upper flip-type closure 516. The closure 516 is hingedly connected to the container 514 at an open end 513 thereof. The upper end of a front wall 515 of container 514 includes a strip 530 of magnetic material. Likewise, the inside of the front wall of the flip-type closure 516 includes a strip 532 of magnetic material. The strips are formed of magnetic material as described above. The strips 530 and 532 are mutually engageable to provide reopenable closure of the flip-type closure with the container 514 in a manner described above.

Referring now to FIG. 16, a hinged blister package 600 is shown. The hinged blister package includes a pair of blister sleeves 610 and 612, which accommodate conventional blister trays 611 and 613. The sleeves are hingedly attached at a perforated hinge line 620, which may also permit separation of the blister sleeves. The adjacent surfaces of the blister sleeve may include strips 630 of magnetic material. The strips are formed of magnetic material as above described. The strips are arranged that when the blister sleeves are folded inwardly along the perforated hinge line, the blister sleeves may be retained in a folded condition by the strips. It is further contemplated that the blister sleeves may be attached to one another even after separation at the perforated hinge line by use of the strips. The blister package of the present embodiment is of the type generally shown and described, and commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Publications Nos. 2008/0053858 A1 and 2008/0053863 A1, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

Turning now to FIG. 17, the carton 700 is shown. The carton 700 has the basic configuration of a box 711 having an open upper end 712 which is closed with flaps 714 in conventional fashion. In the present embodiment, two of the flaps, which are designed for overlapping, may include strips 730 of magnetic material, as above described. The strips are positioned for engagement when the overlapping flaps are folded, as shown by arrows B, to provide a reopenable closure as above described.

Turning now to FIG. 18, the package 800, in the form of a pouch, includes a lower body 810 for retaining product and an upper extending foldable flap 812. The flap 812 is folded down (arrow C) to cover an upper opening 814 in the pouch. The present invention contemplates placing strips 820 of magnetic material as above described, on both the flap and the pouch to permit reopenable closure of the open end in a manner as described above.

The above-referenced embodiments are shown by way of non-limiting example. The present invention can be employed with a wide variety of package housings to permit magnetic closure of the packages. As described herein, the present invention is particularly useful with respect to gum packages. Various other configurations of gum packages may also employ the magnetic closure of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of gum packages which could employ the magnetic closure of the present invention are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. D484,046, issued Dec. 23, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. D516,422, issued Mar. 7, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. D521,862, issued May 30, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. D531,498, issued Nov. 7, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. D545,188, issued Jun. 26, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. D619,454, issued Jul. 13, 2010, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0080020, published May 1, 2003; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0218201, published Oct. 6, 2005.

In addition to the gum packages described hereinabove by way of example, the magnetic closure of the present invention may be used in a wide variety of other packaging configurations such as bags, where the open portion of the bag can be closed using magnetic material.

Also, an openable “fin” closure may be constructed using magnetic material as a closure mechanism.

ITEMS:

Item 1. A package for containing and dispensing contents comprising:

a housing having a package interior for accommodating said contents;

a pair of package housing portions defining an opening for accessing said package interior;

a closure formed of magnetic material applied to at least one of said packaging portions for permitting re-openable closure of said package portions, said closure having a magnetic field strength of between about 50-400 gauss, measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm.

Item 2. A package of item 1 wherein said magnetic field strength is no greater than about 10 gauss measured at a distance of about 5 mm. Item 3. A package of item 1 wherein said magnetic field strength has an upper limit of about 300 gauss. Item 4. A package of items 1-3 wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 100-200 gauss. Item 5. A package of items 1-4 wherein said magnetic material is a magnetic adhesive deposited on said at least one package portion. Item 6. A package of items 1-5 wherein said magnetic material is flexible. Item 7. A package of items 1-6 wherein each of said pair of package portions including said magnetic material is flexible. Item 8. A package of items 1-7 wherein said package housing includes:

a first compartment for containing said product and a second compartment containing said product, said first and second compartments being foldably joined by a hinge for movement between an open and closed position;

said first and second compartments each including said flexible magnet positioned for magnetic engagement in said closed condition.

Item 9. A package of items 1-6 wherein said package housing includes a compartment defining said package interior, said compartment having an opening and a foldable flap, said flap being foldable to cover said opening of said compartment, said magnetic material providing openable closure of said flap with said compartment. Item 10. A package for containing a plurality of products comprising:

a package housing having a first portion including a first product accommodating pocket having an open end for dispensing said product, and a second portion connected to said first portion by a hinge member;

said first and said second portions being mutually movable about said hinge member to permit articulation of said package housing between an open position providing access to said pocket and a closed position wherein said second portion overlies said first portion preventing access to said pocket;

said first and said second portions each including a mutually magnetically attractable magnetic material applied directly thereon and disposed in aligned facing relationship for mutual magnetic engagement in said closed position to releasably maintain said package housing in said closed condition.

Item 11. A package of item 10 wherein said second portion of said package housing includes a second open ended product accommodating pocket. Item 12. A package of items 10-11 wherein said package housing is formed from at least one flat blank. Item 13. A package of item 12 wherein said flat blank is formed of paperboard. Item 14. A package of items 10-13 wherein said open ends of said pockets of said compartments are in facing orientation in said open condition. Item 15. A package of items 10-11 wherein said package housing is formed from a pair of flat blanks Item 16. A package of item 15 wherein each of said flat blanks forms one of said first and second compartments. Item 17. A package of items 11-16 wherein each of said first and second compartments includes a front wall and wherein said magnetic material is disposed on said front wall. Item 18. A package of item 17 wherein said magnetic material covers said front wall. Item 19. A package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products comprising:

a package housing for supporting said products;

said package housing including a first product accommodating compartment and a second product accommodating compartment separated by a hinge;

each said product accommodating compartment having an open end adjacent said hinge, said product accommodating compartments being foldable about said hinge in a book-like fashion; and

a flexible magnetic material adhesively applied to each compartment and positioned to be in mutual magnetic engagement upon closably folding said compartments about said hinge.

Item 20. A package assembly of item 19 wherein said flexible magnetic material has a magnetic field strength of no less than about 50 gauss, measured at a distance of no greater than 1 mm. Item 21. A package assembly of item 19 wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 50-400 gauss. Item 22. A package assembly of item 19 wherein said magnetic field strength is between about 100-200 gauss. Item 23. A package assembly of item 19 wherein said magnetic field strength is no greater than about 10 gauss at a distance of about 5 mm. Item 24. A package assembly of item 19 wherein said magnetic field strength has an upper limit of about 300 gauss. Item 25. A package assembly of items 19-24 wherein said package housing is openable with one-handed manipulation. Item 26. A package assembly of items 19-25 wherein said magnetic material has a magnetic field strength sufficient to maintain said housing closed under gravitational forces. Item 27. A package assembly of items 19-26 wherein said mutual magnetic engagement of flexible magnetic material causes an audible indication. Item 28. A package assembly of items 19-28 wherein each said product compartment includes an open area defined by said open end and a closed area, and wherein said open area is greater than said closed area. Item 29. A package assembly of item 28 wherein said closed area is defined by a front wall. Item 30. A package assembly of item 29 wherein said front wall includes said magnetic material applied thereto. Item 31. A package assembly of item 29 wherein said magnetic material is applied to the entire front wall. Item 32. A blank used in the formation of a package for consumable items comprising:

a substrate defining a back wall, and a foldable front extent said substrate being foldable to form a product containing pocket;

a magnetizable material applied to said foldable front extent, said magnetizable material including ferrites within a polymer carrier, said magnetizable material being subject to subsequent magnetization on said substrate.

Item 33. A blank of item 32 wherein said magnetizable material has a maximum magnetic field strength of no greater than about 50 gauss. Item 34. A blank of item 32 wherein said foldable extent forms a front wall of said pocket. Item 35. A blank of item 32 wherein said foldable extent including said applied magnetizable material is flexible. Item 36. A blank of item 32 wherein said substrate is formed of paperboard. Item 37. A blank of claim 31 wherein said magnetic material is adhesively applied to said substrate. Item 38. In a consumable product package having a first product accommodating compartment and a second product accommodating compartment separated by a hinge, wherein each said product accommodating compartment has a back wall, a front wall and an open face and being foldable about said hinge between an open and closed position, a method of providing a magnetic closure for said package comprising the steps of:

determining the center of gravity of product contained in each said compartment;

determining the distance of said hinge from said center of gravity;

determining the distance of each said front wall from said hinge; and

depositing a mutually attractive magnetic material on said front walls having mass sufficient to maintain said package in said closed position under gravitational forces and allow manual opening of said package by a container.

Item 39. A package for containing a plurality of consumable products comprising:

a pair of package housing portions defining an interior therebetween for accommodating said consumable products;

a closure applied to each package housing portion for permitting re-openable closure of said pair of package housing portions;

said closure including an adhesive material for adhesively closing said package housing portions and a magnetic material for magnetically closing said package housing portions.

Item 40. A package of item 39 wherein said adhesive material includes said magnetic material. Item 41. A package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products comprising:

a first product accommodating compartment, a second product accommodating compartment and a hinge for connecting said product accommodating compartments;

each said product accommodating compartment having an open end adjacent said hinge, said product accommodating compartments being foldable about said hinge in a book-like fashion to open and close thereabout; and

a generally elongate planar magnetic strip including elongate magnetizable particles aligned in a carrier said particles being magnetizable to define positive and negative charges on opposite surfaces of said strip, said positive and negative charges being alternately arranged in spaced apart alternating columns along said opposite surfaces of said planar strip, one said magnetic strip being positioned on each said compartment such that upon foldably closing said compartments, a positively charged column of one surface of one planar strip is in juxtaposition with a negatively charged column of the other surface of the other planar strip so that the planar strips becomes aligned under magnetic attraction.

Item 42. A package assembly of item 41 wherein each said planar strip includes one charged column positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of said strip such that upon foldably closing said compartments, the edges of said strips are aligned. Item 43. A package assembly of item 42 wherein said planar strips are placed on said compartments such that the compartments are aligned in closed condition. Item 44. A package assembly of item 41 wherein said magnetic attachment of said strips is maximized by said juxtaposition of said charged columns. Item 45. A package assembly of items 41-44 wherein said magnetizable particles are ferrites.

Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims. 

1.-31. (canceled)
 32. A blank used in the formation of a package for consumable items comprising: a substrate defining a back wall, and a foldable front extent said substrate being foldable to form a product containing pocket; a magnetizable material applied to said foldable front extent, said magnetizable material including ferrites within a polymer carrier, said magnetizable material being subject to subsequent magnetization on said substrate.
 33. A blank of claim 32 wherein said magnetizable material has a maximum magnetic field strength of no greater than about 50 gauss.
 34. A blank of claim 32 wherein said foldable extent forms a front wall of said pocket.
 35. A blank of claim 32 wherein said foldable extent including said applied magnetizable material is flexible.
 36. A blank of claim 32 wherein said substrate is formed of paperboard.
 37. A blank of claim 31 wherein said magnetic material is adhesively applied to said substrate.
 38. In a consumable product package having a first product accommodating compartment and a second product accommodating compartment separated by a hinge, wherein each said product accommodating compartment has a back wall, a front wall and an open face and being foldable about said hinge between an open and closed position, a method of providing a magnetic closure for said package comprising the steps of: determining the center of gravity of product contained in each said compartment; determining the distance of said hinge from said center of gravity; determining the distance of each said front wall from said hinge; and depositing a mutually attractive magnetic material on said front walls having mass sufficient to maintain said package in said closed position under gravitational forces and allow manual opening of said package by a container.
 39. A package for containing a plurality of consumable products comprising: a pair of package housing portions defining an interior therebetween for accommodating said consumable products; a closure applied to each package housing portion for permitting re-openable closure of said pair of package housing portions; said closure including an adhesive material for adhesively closing said package housing portions and a magnetic material for magnetically closing said package housing portions.
 40. A package of claim 39 wherein said adhesive material includes said magnetic material.
 41. A package assembly for accommodating and dispensing a plurality of elongate consumable products comprising: a first product accommodating compartment, a second product accommodating compartment and a hinge for connecting said product accommodating compartments; each said product accommodating compartment having an open end adjacent said hinge, said product accommodating compartments being foldable about said hinge in a book-like fashion to open and close thereabout; and a generally elongate planar magnetic strip including elongate magnetizable particles aligned in a carrier said particles being magnetizable to define positive and negative charges on opposite surfaces of said strip, said positive and negative charges being alternately arranged in spaced apart alternating columns along said opposite surfaces of said planar strip, one said magnetic strip being positioned on each said compartment such that upon foldably closing said compartments, a positively charged column of one surface of one planar strip is in juxtaposition with a negatively charged column of the other surface of the other planar strip so that the planar strips becomes aligned under magnetic attraction.
 42. A package assembly of claim 41 wherein each said planar strip includes one charged column positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of said strip such that upon foldably closing said compartments, the edges of said strips are aligned.
 43. A package assembly of claim 42 wherein said planar strips are placed on said compartments such that the compartments are aligned in closed condition.
 44. A package assembly of claim 41 wherein said magnetic attachment of said strips is maximized by said juxtaposition of said charged columns.
 45. A package assembly of claim 41 wherein said magnetizable particles are ferrites. 